Friday, April 03, 2015

Life Under New Management by Jane Davitt Blog Tour with Release Day Review, Deleted Scene and Giveaway.

In my new release, Life Under New Management, Ethan is Andy’s boss at a luxury Vancouver hotel and the two of them decide to take a chance on a relationship with some unusual features. Andy’s ambitious but lacking direction and he sees Ethan’s control kink as the perfect way to guide him into better habits.

This is a deleted scene involving Andy in a cock cage, following a visit to a sex shop. So why did this scene not make the book? It came at the wrong place. It was too early in their relationship for Andy to surrender this much control to Ethan. Though aroused by the idea, Ethan’s concerned about Andy’s tendency to rush into things and taken aback by his own intense reaction to the chastity device. The argument also spoiled the progress they’d made and took them a step backward when I wanted to move them forward.

So, regretfully, because I hate wasting words, I took it out.

But I guess they’re not wasted, because I’m using them for this blog post, so I feel much better.

Deleted scene from Life Under new Management

The weight of the chastity device dragged Andy’s cock down. Ethan capped the bottle of lube he'd used to make the fit easier and stood turning it in his hand, frowning.

"Feel okay? Not pinching or chafing?"

"No." Andy took a deep breath, avoiding his reflection in the big mirror. "It's going to take some getting used to. And I'll need to be careful around my apartment. If Henry sees it, he'll faint."

Ethan raised his eyebrows. "And does he see you naked often?"

"You cannot be possessive when it comes to Henry," Andy told him. "Trust me. If we were marooned on a desert island, it'd be weeks before I made a move. Weeks. And he'd probably turn me down."

"A man with no taste."

Andy shrugged. "We're just not each other's type. It's cool. I like having someone I can relax around. I'll just need to lock the door more. It's not an issue at work; I'll use a stall in the washroom." His cock itched and he went to scratch it without thinking, shocked when his fingers met unyielding plastic, not flesh. "Oh God. This is so weird."

"Take it off. No, you can't, can you? The keys are here somewhere." Ethan tossed the lube on the counter and rummaged through the packaging. "Where the hell are they?"

"That's the fucking problem!" Ethan braced his hands on the surface, head down, breathing heavily. "Sorry. I'm not angry with you. It's just too much too fast and you're not doing anything to slow things down. You should be telling me to put on the brakes, not hit the gas."

"We're not doing anything we don't both want. You said if I didn't like it after a trial run, you'd take it off." Andy was lost. Adjusting the device around his cock, Ethan had been as into it as Andy, joking about putting it on upside down, the teasing doing nothing to hide their shared arousal.

"Yeah, well, it goes both ways. I want it off. Now." When Andy shook his head, Ethan glared at him. "This time last month you didn't even know you had a kinky side. Now you're prepared for me to lock up your dick? Can't you see how goddamned ridiculous that is? How dangerous?"

"Don't." Hurt, Andy backed away a step, covering his genitals reflexively. Now he knew how Adam felt after biting into the apple. "Shit, you had to go and spoil it, didn't you?" He stalked over to Ethan. "Fine. Take it off. Toss it out. Who cares that it cost—" He saw the label on the box. "Jesus, two hundred and fifty bucks?"

"The cost doesn't matter. It's not unreasonable for me to slow things down."

"Key," Andy demanded, holding out his hand. "It's there, under the instructions. No, I'll do it myself. Probably not supposed to, but, hey, the hell with the etiquette of cock cages." The tiny padlock was easier for someone else to open, but he managed it, working the device off, leaving his cock lighter, lonely, as if it missed being enclosed by a proxy hand.

After lamming the cage down beside the box, he jerked his chin up. "I'm going. Not like before when I let you persuade me to stay because deep down I didn't want to go. Now I do and you can take your chicken-shit doubts and shove them up your ass. You ever figure out what you want from a guy, you know where I am."

"I'll call you a cab," Ethan said wearily.

Andy curled his lip. He couldn't lift one eyebrow, but he'd practiced that curl in front of a mirror. "You've spent enough on me for one day, Richard Gere. I'll walk. There's a bar I know where I can fucked in the men's room before the barman's finished pouring me a drink. And guess what? The guy reaming my ass won't ask if he's moving too fast. He'll just slap my ass when he sees the bruises you left because he'll figure I like that kind of shit. And he'll be right." Hands on hips, he stared at Ethan. "Anything about that picture bother you, sir?"

"Go home or get screwed," Ethan said, the words chipped from stone. "Your choice. Don't use me as an excuse for your behaviour and don't expect me to cave to childish threats and hissy fits."

Andy sucked in a breath he intended to use on telling Ethan just how wrong he was, but in the end he couldn't do it. Not with Ethan shutting down visibly, switching off his emotions until nothing was left but a blank mask.

Life Under new Management by Jane Davitt

Synopsis

This is the third book in Totally Bound’s Totally Five Star imprint, set in glamorous hotels around the world.

Working for a perfectionist like strict, sexy-as-hell Ethan isn’t easy. Falling in love with him? No problem at all.

Taking a bar job in an exclusive hotel is a stopgap for Andy. He’s an actor and his big break is coming soon—he knows it. His hot, new boss, Ethan, is strict, demanding and totally off-limits, but Andy can’t stop thinking about him.

When Andy learns of Ethan’s need to be in control of his partner—in bed and out of it—he’s stunned by the intensity of his reaction. He wants Ethan guiding him, bringing order to his chaotic life. And he sees that Ethan needs him too, though they can’t be open about their feelings.

Ethan deals out deliciously perverse consequences for misbehaving, but when it comes to incentives, he knows just what to offer to have Andy on his knees begging for more.

But some secrets can’t stay that way for long. And when difficult choices arise, for once Andy can’t turn to Ethan for guidance. This time, he’s on his own.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of intense pain play, including the use of a Wartenberg wheel and figging.

Monique’s Review

I love Jane Davitt, she has a great writing style and brings us characters with personalities and these are two men I’m not going to forget in a hurry. They are without a doubt both complex and flawed and we can see from the start that their journey is not going to be an easy one. I felt for these men and yes, I had a tear or two at the rawness of the emotion, their soul bearing was so emotive that tissues were definitely needed. Amongst that we also have humour and passion and plenty of kinky fuckery that was an absolute delight to read… who am I kidding… it was bloody HOT

Andy is adorable, he’s funny has tattoos and piercings, yes, he’s little rebellious at times, but not in a bad way, more mischievous but he’s got a good heart. Ethan, oh my, that man made my heart melt as well as my panties, with a whole heap of commanding presence, a man of few words, but who needs words when you have ‘the look’ and I just love it when an author gets that so right.

In the first few pages of the book even without a relationship between Andy and Ethan and only at ‘the interview’ stage, Jane Davitt captured the dynamics of this relationship perfectly, as well as the obvious sizzling sexual tension between them that just pulled me right in. I wanted to see where she was going to take this intimidating, enigmatic, aloof and controlling man. And the cute wannabe actor, so desperate for a bar job to pay his rent, he’s not averse to elaborating on the truth or lack off, to get it. And ohhh, how I loved Andy, all bluster and bravado, a self-confessed slut, overly confident and certainly not lacking in charm and charisma (or great acting skills?) which he tries to use to his advantage, although his lack of filter and obliviousness means he’s trying to play a man who is more accustomed to being the manipulator, and seeing Ethan impassively humour him was so much fun… watching the player get well and truly played.

Their relationship is not all plain sailing, both in and out of work. Ethan is a hard task master a strict but fair boss and even that somehow excites Andy. Ethan seems to give this flighty, easily distracted, slovenly character, who lacks drive… Focus. And Andy’s determined to please Ethan, or ‘Sir’ as he prefers to call him. He wants Ethan’s acceptance even though he keeps pushing Ethan’s buttons to get it, which made me smile. I love it when characters push their boundaries, or in their case they keep pushing and pulling… Ethan certainly had his patience tested with his pushy little brat at times.

I like that they really had to work for it too, and the angst and intensity that it creates was only heightened by their physical attraction, the atmosphere was more than erotically charged, right from the start.

I mentioned earlier there is a lot of raw emotion and that comes into play as Andy gets himself all of a kerfuffle, confused and frustrated, scared of the unknown. He wants Ethan so badly. Ethan grounds him, makes him feel safe, he wants to submit but doesn’t truly understanding how he feels, not just physically but mentally… It’s as if Andy could only show his vulnerability to Ethan and without him he’s empty, rudderless, previously not realising what had been missing in his life, helpless to sort it out on his own. He’d been aimlessly drifting without purpose or guidance, but with Ethan he needs discipline and wants to be controlled, he needs structure with achievable goals and he wants the kink, pain and submission, he just can’t seem to grasp why he gets off on it. All that longing for something that he can’t comprehend, and knowing it’s only Ethan that can give that to him.

Even though we don’t have Ethan’s POV, you are more than aware he is battling his own desire for Andy. I got the feeling that Ethan wasn’t convinced Andy could possess any commitment and with Ethan so anal and OCD, any deviation to life’s order, in his eyes is a failure… but can he bend his own will to accommodate or tame a little chaos in his life with a bratty boy with a curiosity for kink. Earning his trust and patiently teaching him discipline in his everyday life and how to focus, as well as the true meaning of desire?

The intensity of Ethan letting his guard and composure down, giving Andy what he needs, was like giving him his soul… because of the difficulty he himself had in letting go of his control and emotions… it was just all conveyed so beautifully by Jane Davitt and very emotional to read.

I also really liked how the author put them in a not so typical D/s relationship it was a refreshing change. Ethan is all about the power play, control and striving for perfection, it’s his OCD tendencies that really dictate his kink as well as his need to push Andy’s boundaries. He doesn’t want a mindless submissive and he certainly doesn’t get that with Andy. There is fun between them as they explore, there is also wriggle room which I loved… they talked about everything, and as petulant as Andy could be at times, I got the impression that Ethan relished the challenge.

This is a fabulous read from Jane Davitt… I just got so excited at the dynamics of these two men I read it in one sitting!

Purchase Link

Jane Davitt is English, and has been living in Canada with her husband, two children, and two cats, since 1997. Writing and reading are her main occupations but if she ever had any spare time she might spend it gardening, walking, or doing cross stitch.

Jane has been writing since 2005 and wishes she'd started earlier. She is a huge fan of SF, fantasy, erotica, and mystery novels and has a tendency to get addicted to TV shows that get cancelled all too soon.

She owns over 4,000 books, rarely gives any away, but is happy to loan them, and is of the firm opinion that there is no such thing as 'too many books'.

Giveaway

Enter Totally Bound’s competition for a chance to win a copy of Life Under New Management and a $5 TB giftcardENTER HERE